Match Summary
- Dominic Calvert-Lewin sees a first-half header come back off the upright.
- Aaronson fires the home side ahead with a well-placed effort in the second period.
- Matheus Cunha responds only three minutes afterwards.
- The Yorkshire side continue their longest Premier League unbeaten run since the turn of the century.
The Red Devils' disappointing recent struggles continued at Elland Road, but head coach the Portuguese tactician had his Brazilian forward to thank for the team avoiding even more disappointment against their old rivals.
The Everton loanee directed a first-period attempt against the post for the confident hosts before Brenden Aaronson finished superbly with a driven, 62nd-minute shot.
At that stage, Amorim was in the firing line after his side had failed to beat bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers at Old Trafford earlier in the week.
Nevertheless, against a team who had less time to recover, Cunha restored parity three minutes after the opener when he ran on to a through ball from substitute Joshua Zirkzee and guided a finish underneath advancing Leeds goalkeeper Lucas Perri.
It was only the Brazilian's fourth goal since his big-money summer move and came at a time when Amorim is without four key attacking players due to a mix of fitness issues and international duty.
Not that you would expect the hosts to care about that given their own lack of preparation time.
The Swiss attacker forced a full length save out of visiting goalkeeper Senne Lammens with a spectacular overhead kick, and visiting heads were in hands when the Slovenian striker, who is finding it hard to make an impact, turned his teammate's cut-back wide from close range.
Cunha, who had a goal disallowed for offside much earlier in the contest, also fired against a post late on.
The draw prolongs the home side's unbeaten run to seven matches, their best such streak since 2001, and takes them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
For the Manchester United though, it was yet another chance to move into the Champions League places, albeit only for a matter of hours, squandered.
Manchester United Breakdown: Amorim's Side Misfire Again
With the AFCON reaching its latter stages, Amorim could be understood for hoping the involved countries make a pretty quick exit.
Current injuries to skipper Bruno Fernandes and England international Mason Mount only heightened the impact the unavailability of other attackers is having on Amorim's options.
It's not that the missing pair are the solution to all of United's problems. After all, they were part of the side that experienced poor results earlier in the season.
But without them, the boss has limited attacking options.
He clearly does not trust teenager Shea Lacey or the much more experienced Joshua Zirkzee, even though the Dutch forward delivered the assist for Cunha's equaliser almost immediately after his arrival as a substitute.
That leaves the Brazilian, who has now scored three goals in recent outings, and others playing out of their natural positions, alongside Sesko.
On this showing, the big-money frontman looks no better than previous underwhelming signings, lacking in confidence and conviction in front of goal.
Sesko's failure to turn home the cross means it is now nine games without a goal for the new signing.
Leeds Analysis: Another Step Towards Survival
After thrilling victories in their previous home games, the arrival of their biggest rivals to Elland Road was a bit drab affair.
True, there were instances of typical fervor, but the hostile edge was not as pronounced as in other encounters.
Leeds' fans were more concerned about their side's struggle to get worthwhile possession in advanced areas for any prolonged period.
The Calvert-Lewin header that struck the post was an isolated moment of threat in a congested first half.
It still felt as though the hosts were finding it tough when a defensive error opened the door for the opener.
Ever so briefly, The home ecstatic fans thought they were about to secure a coveted win against their old foes.
However, there is a wider context for Daniel Farke and the club to deal with.
When they suffered a poor run of form earlier in the season, many speculated about the manager's position.
Instead, he is now overseeing clear improvement.
The job is not done yet but gradually, the team are getting nearer to achieving their top-flight status.
Looking Ahead
The Yorkshire club have a top-flight trip to Newcastle in midweek, followed by the start of their domestic cup campaign next weekend. Manchester United face a Premier League trip to Burnley before also entering their cup journey with a home tie.
